cdd

name	cdd
description	Coherence-Driven Development. Use for substantial changes that require explicit selection, artifact flow, review, release, and post-release closure.
artifact_class	skill
kata_surface	embedded
governing_question	How do we evolve a system through a substantial change without losing coherence across selection, implementation, review, release, and closure?
visibility	public
triggers	["review","release","issue","design","plan","assess","post-release","ship","tag"]
scope	global
inputs	["substantial-change context","active role","issue or branch context"]
outputs	["canonical method loaded","active role skill loaded","required lifecycle sub-skills selected"]
requires	["CDD applies","CDD.md exists in this directory"]
calls	["alpha/SKILL.md","beta/SKILL.md","gamma/SKILL.md","issue/SKILL.md","design/SKILL.md","plan/SKILL.md","review/SKILL.md","release/SKILL.md","post-release/SKILL.md"]

CDD

Load order

This skill is the package-visible loader entrypoint for CDD. External dispatch enters through cdd only — internal sub-skill triggers (alpha, beta, gamma, issue, design, plan, review, release, post-release) are advisory and are used only after cdd and the active role skill have been loaded. The runtime must not expose internal sub-skills as public dispatch entrypoints.

When CDD applies:

1. Load CDD.md in this directory as the canonical algorithm
2. Load the role skill for the active role:
   • α: alpha/SKILL.md
   • β: beta/SKILL.md
   • γ: gamma/SKILL.md
3. Load lifecycle sub-skills as directed by the role and work shape
4. Load Tier 2 and Tier 3 skills as directed by the issue

Rule

CDD.md is the only normative source for:

• roles (§1.4)
• lifecycle (§3)
• selection (§2)
• artifact contract (§5)
• skill loading tiers (§4.4)
• gates (§4)
• closeout (§10)
• cycle iteration (§9.1)
• dispatch prompt format (§1.4)

Role skills may add:

• evidence requirements
• role-local gates
• checklists
• examples and katas
• execution detail for the steps they own

Role skills may not redefine:

• selection rule order
• ordered lifecycle steps
• dispatch artifact contract
• closeout obligations already named in CDD.md

Role skills

• alpha/ — α role: implementation, self-coherence, pre-review gate
• beta/ — β role: review, release, β close-out
• gamma/ — γ role: issue quality, dispatch, unblocking, close-out triage, process iteration
• operator/ — δ role: external gates, session routing, override authority

Lifecycle sub-skills

• design/ — design artifact production
• issue/ — issue creation and structure
• plan/ — implementation planning
• review/ — code review protocol
• release/ — merge, tag, deploy
• post-release/ — assessment and closure

Conflict rule

If this file and CDD.md disagree, CDD.md governs.

If a role skill and CDD.md disagree on ordered steps, selection rules, or artifact contract, CDD.md governs.

If a role skill adds execution detail, gates, or evidence requirements for a CDD.md step without changing that step's order or meaning, the role skill governs for that local execution detail.